Labor stands for safe, secure and well-paid jobs.

We took a strong suite of worker protection policies to the last election – including extra resourcing for Worksafe, banning silica and creating new offences in the Criminal Code for intimidation, harassment and assault on frontline workers – and we will continue to stand up for workers at every opportunity.

Importantly, we are working hard to progress our Safer Workplaces Bill, to bring Tasmania in line with the rest of the nation on industrial manslaughter legislation and make real and much-needed improvements to worker safety.

If the government is serious about protecting workers like the claim, they have no excuses not to support Labor’s industrial manslaughter bill.

While we remain sceptical of the ability of the Government’s frontline workers bill to keep workers safe, we will not oppose the legislation which includes significant discretion for judges to assess cases on a case-by-case basis.

The government also needs to put a much greater focus on investing in early intervention and prevention to keep the Tasmanian community and workers safe. Ultimately, the best way to do that is to take action that prevents intimidation, harassment and assaults in the workplace rather than focus only on the response once a crime has been committed.

The bill also has an automatic review period built in, which will give parliament an opportunity to assess its performance and effectiveness.

We look forward to the Liberals continuing their new-found commitment to worker safety by supporting industrial manslaughter legislation and bringing in even more measures to protect workers.

Rebecca White MP
Shadow Attorney-General